More Than Neighbors

by Isabel Keats

  “Let’s get this clear once and for all, shall we?” Cat said with her mouth full. “Do you want gorgeous Pamela to get her claws into you? Yes or no?”

  Leopold pretended to gag. “Heavens, no! All I’m saying is, I wouldn’t mind if you laid your claws on me once in a while.”

  “Leopold Sinclair! That’s enough of that!”

  “Catalina Stapleton, you’re a bossy-boots!”

  The two of them looked at each other and burst into laughter. “I promise that for as long as I can I’ll protect you,” Catalina finally said, picking up a lemon cupcake, “even if it’s just to thank you for this fabulous feast. It’s all delicious.”

  “Yes, Doris is a fantastic cook.”

  After the abundant food, Cat was overcome by a pleasant drowsiness. “I think I’ll take a nap.”

  When Leopold returned an hour later from his stroll, he found Catalina soundly asleep on the blanket, and he had an urge to lie beside her and kiss her awake. He watched her for a while, wondering why on earth he desired her so much; he had known plenty of stunning women, and none had affected him like Catalina Stapleton did. At that moment, her eyelids flickered and opened.

  “What a lovely nap.” She made a show of stretching.

  “Have you never been told that stretching in public is bad manners?” Leopold frowned, a severe expression on his face, though his gray eyes were bright.

  “If I ever need advice on etiquette, I’ll let you know, Lord Sinclair,” she replied with great dignity. “Whew, I’m sweating.”

  “Shall we take a dip?”

  “Are you crazy? The water must be freezing. Anyway, I haven’t brought my swimsuit.”

  “This cove’s as good as private; you can only get here by boat or a long walk, so it’s almost always deserted. We should jump in.”

  “Leopold Sinclair! Are you of all people suggesting we skinny-dip?”

  “What do you mean by ‘you of all people’ exactly?” Annoyed, he imitated the way she stressed the words. Cat opened her mouth to reply, but he held up a hand. “Don’t answer! I don’t want to know. I wasn’t suggesting we bathe naked, of course.” Though just thinking about it, he felt a sudden rush of excitement. “We can swim in our underwear; I’ve done it plenty of times. I was always on my own, of course, but I promise I won’t look.”

  “If I was with a female friend, I certainly wouldn’t think twice,” Cat said, as if talking to herself. The truth was, she felt sticky after her nap, and the idea of a swim in the peaceful blue water was most appealing.

  “You always say I’m your friend.” Leopold hoped he didn’t sound too insistent.

  “I know, but it’s not the same. You did admit recently that you wanted to seduce me,” Catalina curtly reminded him.

  “I give you my word as a gentleman that I won’t take advantage of you.” He raised his hand as if making a solemn oath.

  “Is your word as a gentleman worth as much as your word as a boy scout?” she quizzed him teasingly.

  “Goodness, Catalina, you’re so distrustful, and to cap it off, you have an annoyingly good memory!” her neighbor exclaimed with mock indignation.

  “To be honest, I really like the idea of a dip . . .” She gazed longingly at the clear water.

  “I promise I’ll stay here till you’re in. Then give me a shout and I’ll join you, agreed?”

  “Agreed.” And Catalina finally gave in to temptation.

  CHAPTER 16

  Catalina approached the little half-moon of white sand and made sure Leopold couldn’t see her from where he was standing. She took off her T-shirt and jeans, leaving her in her simple white underwear. She quickly got in the water, the cold leaving her breathless.

  “Leo, you can come in now!” she shouted, unable to prevent her teeth from chattering.

  She started to swim to warm herself up, but glanced surreptitiously at Leo, who crossed his powerful arms in front of his chest and lifted them over his head to remove his polo shirt.

  Seeing those broad shoulders and the tanned, muscular torso, she wondered when her neighbor found time to work out. She told herself it wasn’t right to spy on him, but an irresistible curiosity kept her eyes glued to his splendid body while he unbuttoned his jeans and was left in nothing but a pair of white boxer shorts. Cat sank her face into the icy water in a futile attempt to ease the sudden flush in her cheeks. She couldn’t deny that the classic boxers looked fabulous on her neighbor. Leopold got into the water and caught up with her in a few strokes. “Nice, isn’t it?” He shook his head, sending drops of water flying, and his white teeth gleamed in contrast with his bronzed face as he gave her an attractive smile.

  “It’s freezing,” Catalina answered, numb with cold.

  “I’ll race you, crybaby.”

  They played and swam for a while in the chilly water. Then they both floated belly up, enjoying the sun’s warm rays on their faces. “Now what?”

  “I’ll get out first and grab the picnic blanket. In the meantime, you take off your wet stuff and put on the rest of your clothes, okay?”

  “Perfect synchronization,” the young woman agreed.

  Leopold was headed in the direction of the copse where they’d had lunch when an uncontrollable urge made him turn around. Instantly, he froze, as if he had turned to salt.

  Behind him, Catalina was looking out to sea. She had unfastened the clip on her bra, and just then, she took the straps from her arms, then removed her skimpy underwear. For a few seconds, time seemed to stand still; her delicate shape, slender and sensual, as naked as a goddess of ancient times, was silhouetted against the horizon. Leopold was left breathless. Cat quickly put on her T-shirt and jeans, and her neighbor managed to regain the use of his trembling legs and went off to find the blanket.

  When he’d finished getting dressed, Leopold lingered behind the rock where they’d sheltered from the wind, trying to cool down. The image of Catalina naked tormented him, and he was determined not to reappear until he was sure he wouldn’t pounce on her and devour her as soon as he saw her. When he finally thought he had his passion under control, he came out from his hiding place and made for the shore. The young woman was sitting on the sand, watching the waves break softly a few yards from her feet.

  Leopold handed her the picnic blanket. “Here.” His voice was hoarser than usual.

  “You were ages,” she scolded him. “I was starting to freeze. Come on, sit here.” Catalina patted the sand beside her.

  “It’s all right, I’m not cold.”

  “Don’t be silly, your lips are blue.”

  Reluctantly, he sat beside her, and Cat draped one end of the blanket over his shoulders. Sharing the blanket, they watched the clouds blotting the sky that was beginning to turn yellow, purple, and orange. Cat moved closer to him, drawn by his warmth, and Leopold had to contain an overwhelming desire to caress her.

  “It’s been a fabulous day, Leo. I’ll never forget it.” Catalina took his arm and snuggled up to him. Leopold clenched his teeth to prevent a groan from escaping; his head was spinning with desire. “Is something wrong? You seem a bit tense.”

  “No . . . It’s nothing,” he hastened to reply.

  “Have you not enjoyed yourself?”

  “It’s been ages since I’ve had such a great time.” The sincerity in his deep voice was evident.

  They sat in friendly silence for some time, watching the sun dip slowly behind the horizon. “I think we should get back,” Cat eventually said, sorry to interrupt the tranquility of the place.

  “You’re right. In a few minutes, we won’t be able to see a thing.”

  Leopold stood and held out his warm, welcoming hand to help her get up. Cat gave him her freezing fingers, and when he let her hand go to pick up the basket and easel, he felt a strange sense of loss. They loaded everything into the car and returned to the house. As they were
about to go upstairs, they heard Pamela’s voice as she came out to greet them. “Cat, Leopold, where have you been all this time? We’ve already had dinner.”

  “It doesn’t matter, Pamela, we’re fine,” Leopold replied with some annoyance. He wished they could have snuck past and made it to their rooms without being seen.

  “Your mother wants to speak to you. She’s complaining that she’s barely seen you since you arrived.”

  With a sigh of resignation, Leopold put his arm around Cat’s waist and led her to the living room. “Hullo, Mother. Atkinson,” he said, frostily greeting the room’s other occupant.

  “Leopold, dear, I don’t know what you and Cat have been doing out there all afternoon; I’ve hardly seen you these past few days,” his mother replied as she looked disapprovingly at Catalina’s long hair, matted by the salt and sea breeze, her old clothes covered in paint, and her sun-blushed cheeks.

  Cat noticed her stare and suddenly felt conscious of how scruffy she must appear, especially in contrast with the perfection of Pamela’s dress and makeup. “I’m sorry, Mother, I’ve been showing Catalina around the area.”

  “I’m afraid I’ve hogged your son, Lady Sinclair. The scenery around your home’s so beautiful that I made Leo show me everything.”

  He was amused that his neighbor rushed to his defense as if his mother’s disapproval could still affect him—more evidence of Cat’s big heart. “To be honest, it’s been a really long day and we’re both very tired. What was it you wanted to say, Mother?”

  “Robert and Pamela came to invite us to a tea party tomorrow. I accepted on your behalf—I didn’t think you’d mind. It will be a chance to introduce Cat to our neighbors.”

  Leopold suppressed a grimace. He hated his mother interfering with his plans, especially if it involved spending time with the Atkinsons. He had never been able to stand Robert, and since he’d seen the way he looked at Catalina, he had even less time for him. He had once more taken the chance to sit beside her and was again undressing her with his greedy eyes. Leopold clenched his fists. He was desperate to smash them against that permanently smirking mouth and had to dig his nails into his palms until it hurt to stop himself.

  Trying to calm down, he turned to look at Pamela and couldn’t help comparing her to Cat. The Atkinson woman was like a greenhouse flower, exotic and slightly artificial, while Catalina’s natural and untamed allure seemed out of place in his mother’s impeccable yellow drawing room. He thought that a windswept beach or a green English meadow after a good storm would be a more appropriate backdrop for her beauty. “I’m grateful for your invitation.” As ever, Leopold’s face remained impassive, betraying nothing of his thoughts. “You can count us in, but now we must say good night; Catalina admitted a few moments ago that she was very tired.”

  The woman in question covered her mouth with her hand, as if trying to hide a yawn, and winked surreptitiously at him. Leo was forced to suppress a smile.

  Robert grasped Cat by the arm. “Come on, stay a bit longer,” he pleaded.

  With a polite smile, she gently separated herself from him and stood up. “I’m sorry, but really, I’m exhausted.”

  “Good night.” Leopold took her hand and they left the drawing room together. “I hate that guy,” he said as soon as they were out of earshot.

  “Who, Robert? You’re not jealous, are you?” Catalina raised an eyebrow mockingly.

  “I don’t like him pawing my fiancée.”

  “May I remind—”

  He cut in unceremoniously. “Yes, I know our engagement’s a farce, but he doesn’t know that, and I don’t like sharing what’s mine, even if it’s only for appearances.”

  Cat stopped dead halfway up the stairs and looked at him. “Good grief, Leopold, with a bit more hair on your shoulders, you’d seem quite the caveman.”

  “Deep down, that’s exactly what I am, woman, so don’t mess with me,” he growled with feigned ill temper.

  “This is the twenty-first century, in case you’ve forgotten, and I am no man’s property,” Cat replied haughtily.

  “Oh, no?”

  “No.” The brown eyes challenged him devilishly.

  “We’ll see about that.” Leopold crouched, grabbed her by the thighs, and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

  “Put me down, Leo!” Cat couldn’t contain her laughter as she kicked the air and thumped her captor’s broad shoulders with her fists.

  “You’re mine, stop struggling!” Leo ordered, slapping her playfully on the backside.

  “Ouch!”

  With Cat slung over his shoulder, he made for her room and threw her roughly onto the bed. “That’ll teach you,” he snarled, frowning at her face contorted by laughter, the messy long hair on the pillow and the smooth skin of her belly visible because her T-shirt had ridden up. “And now I’ll take you,” he announced, before throwing himself on top of her and sinking his face into her neck, continuing to growl ferociously.

  Catalina writhed with laughter under his body, pushing away his tickling hands, and her movements only made him more excited. Leopold looked up and fixed his eyes on her smiling face. Their gazes met, and seeing the passion in his gray eyes, Cat stopped laughing and swallowed as his lips slowly approached hers. “Leo . . . ,” she whispered against his mouth, making him burn even hotter.

  “Catalina . . .” His breath caressed her, light as a breeze.

  “Don’t,” she begged.

  Leopold froze and with a superhuman effort, separated himself from her, and rose. “Good night, Catalina,” he said, still breathing hard, before hurrying off through the door.

  Cat remained lying on the bed for a long while, staring up at the ceiling. She felt terribly frustrated. She didn’t know how she’d managed to utter the word that had made him stop, but in spite of everything, she was glad she had. Something told her that if she had allowed Leopold to kiss her again, she would have lost her head completely.

  And that, she feared, would not have been a good idea.

  The next day was the perfect day for a tea party. Leopold was already in the dining hall when Cat went down for breakfast, and though she felt a little awkward after what had happened the night before, she tried not to show it. Her neighbor, on the other hand, behaved as if nothing had happened: his face was impassive and his manner as proper and polite as ever. Very well, she thought to herself, annoyed, though she didn’t know why it bothered her so much. If he wants to play the ‘nothing happened here’ game, I’ll show him I can play it too.

  “Such a wonderful day for a party in the open air!” she remarked, as if she were an elderly duchess and the well-tried subject of the weather was the most fascinating topic in the world.

  “Indeed. It’s sunny, but with a pleasant breeze.” The reply from Leo, who readily assumed the role of the old duke, was perfectly suited to her tone.

  “The threat of rain seems remote.” Cat held the handle of her cup daintily, her little finger extended in an exaggerated manner, and took a tiny sip of coffee.

  Leopold suppressed a smile as he watched her play the role of affected lady, though he couldn’t prevent his gray eyes from flashing with amusement. Nonetheless, in a very serious tone, he answered, “Quite, dear. We shall be able to frolic on the grass like bunnies with no fear of getting wet.”

  At that, Catalina burst out laughing, the coffee she was sipping went down the wrong way, and she began to cough. Her neighbor calmly stood, walked around the table, and gave her a few hearty pats on the back. “One of these days, you’re going to kill me,” she managed to say once she’d gotten her breath back.

  Leo pulled out a chair and sat beside her. “I suppose I’m entitled to some small revenge,” he tenderly whispered in her ear.

  “But seriously, what will this ‘tea party’ be like?” Catalina tried to sound calm, though her ear tickled.

 
“It’s supposedly an afternoon tea among neighbors, but in reality it ends up being dinner, with a big buffet. You basically take what you want and sit on blankets spread around the garden. The kids play cricket, the fathers talk business, the women swap gossip, and that’s how the afternoon goes. When the sun sets, everyone chats in the moonlight around torches, until they decide to go home.”

  “Sounds thrilling.”

  They smiled at each other, and Leopold had to admit to himself that although Cat often drove him to exasperation, at the same time he always enjoyed himself with her.

  “What time will we leave?”

  “If you’re ready at five, that will give us plenty of time.”

  When they reached the Atkinsons’ beautiful mansion, only a little smaller than the Sinclairs’, albeit more sober in style, most of the guests had arrived already and were strolling or playing with their children on the manicured lawn surrounding the house. Leopold’s mother, with Leopold and Catalina on either side of her, greeted her acquaintances and introduced them to Cat. They all checked her out discreetly; they knew she did not belong to their exclusive circle, but within a few moments of meeting her, most of them accepted her warmly.

  Leopold watched her chat merrily with the other guests. She was wearing a gauzy pastel dress that made her seem as fresh as spring. Her hair fell loosely down her back, and when the sun’s rays landed on it, some locks gleamed like gold. She was so beautiful that Leopold found it hard to keep his eyes off her. When they found themselves alone for a moment, Leo said to her, “You’re a hit, Catalina, a rare accomplishment among my mother’s friends.”

  “You think?” Cat lifted her warm brown eyes toward him.

  “Normally, as soon as a newcomer turns her back, they tear her to shreds. It takes them no longer than a minute and a half to start: I’ve timed it.”

  “And how do you know they haven’t done the same with me?” she said with a smile.

  “Are you kidding? I heard none other than Lady Lodge-Burrell say that you seemed like a charming young woman.”